Split in Right-wing vote allows the Greens to win

By the Editorial Team · Saturday, August 29, 2026

The Green Party won its first council seat in Dover by narrowly defeating Reform UK and benefiting from a split in the right-wing vote among Reform UK, Restore Britain, and the Conservatives. This outcome underscores the risk of further losses for right-leaning parties if their vote remains fragmented and could enable increased success for left-leaning groups in future local elections.

A by-election in Dover, Kent, has resulted in the Green Party winning its first seat on a council at the centre of the Channel migrant crisis, following a split in the right-wing vote between Reform UK, Restore Britain, and the Conservatives.

Ingrid Dodd, the Green candidate advocating for a “world without borders,” secured the seat by a narrow margin of 34 votes over Reform UK’s James Defriend. The Conservative candidate came in third with 456 votes, while Restore Britain’s Jeremy Hermer finished fifth, garnering 284 votes. The division of right-leaning votes, which collectively accounted for over 55% of the ballots cast, allowed the Greens, led locally by Zack Polanski, to emerge victorious with less than 29% of the vote.

Jeremy Hermer of Restore Britain expressed tempered satisfaction with the outcome, noting that the party had increased its share of the vote compared to the Manchester mayoral election and described the result as an incremental step forward. Restore Britain’s leader, Rupert Lowe, also signaled the party’s intention to contest more elections, emphasizing an open offer to collaborate with Reform UK, which has so far been declined by Reform’s leadership.

The result has drawn attention to the challenges faced by right-wing parties amid vote fragmentation. Commentators have suggested that if the right remains divided, it could pave the way for further success by left-leaning parties in future elections.

In a separate by-election in Wandsworth, south-west London, Labour narrowly retained the Trinity ward seat, defeating the Conservative candidate Otto Jacobsson by 127 votes. Labour’s Shirin Georgiani received 1,558 votes compared to Jacobsson’s 1,431, while Reform UK’s Josh Stanton finished last with 51 votes. Wandsworth Council, which Labour won in 2022 for the first time in nearly 50 years, is currently governed by a Conservative minority administration.

Reform UK is preparing for its upcoming party conference next week, where it plans to outline its proposed actions for the first 100 days in government should it succeed in the next general election. Party leader Nigel Farage criticized the established parties, claiming that political dysfunction has led to national decline and promising rapid reform if elected.

Additionally, Reform UK has proposed changes to the voting system aimed at reducing postal voting. MP Danny Kruger stated that under the proposed rules, voters would be expected to cast their ballots in person unless they were genuinely unable to attend polling stations.

The recent election outcomes highlight ongoing tensions and strategic challenges within the right-wing political spectrum in the UK, as well as the potential electoral impact of divided voting blocs.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.